Wondering if you guys could help me.
I haven't had much trouble with algae but lately I've been getting a particular type which is very hard to get rid of. It's a charcoal colour, grows in tufts like hair about half an inch long. It's also very hard to remove. If you could first tell me what it is and secondly how to get rid of it/what causes it that would be great.

Black Brush Algae. High Phosphates seem to bring it on, but eliminating phosphates doesn't gaurantee their removal. My tank is infested with it, and any leaf older than a few weeks old has at least some along the edges.
Siamese Algae Eaters are supposed to eat it, but I haven't been able to get my hands on any, so I can't verify that.

Siamese Algae Eaters do indeed eat that algae. All my older leaves were infested with it too. I had to drive an hour to a Pet Store that had some SAE's. Best thing I have ever done. They didn't seem to like the older stuff, so I gave my plants a good pruning and it hasn't been back since. As soon as I stuck these guys in they were nibbling on the edges of all the leaves.

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